Page Authority (PA) is an SEO metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a single page will rank in search engine results for its target keywords. Page authority is calculated based on factors such as: backlinks to the page, link quality, domain authority of linking pages, age of the page and more. PA is a number from 1-100, where higher is better. In B2B SEO, understanding and improving page authority is critical to drive better rankings and organic traffic.
What is Page Authority?
Page authority is an SEO metric from Moz that applies specifically to individual pages (unlike domain authority, which rates the entire domain). The idea is: a page with high PA ranks better for its keywords than one with low PA.
PA is calculated through an algorithm that considers multiple factors:
- Backlinks to the page: More and higher-quality backlinks = higher PA
- Backlinks to the domain: Domain authority has indirect influence on PA
- Link equity flow: How much "link juice" reaches this page?
- Page age: Older pages often have higher PA (more time to collect links)
- Social signals (possibly): Shares, likes could influence PA
Important: PA is a correlation metric, not a direct ranking factor. Google does not provide "page authority" scores. Moz developed PA as a proxy for "how well will this page probably rank?"
Page Authority in B2B SEO Context
In B2B, PA is particularly important for competitive keywords. When 10 competitors rank for "marketing automation software", the top 3 pages are likely those with the highest PA (combined with relevant content).
A B2B company could have a blog article with:
- Great content (3000 words, interviews, original research)
- 20 backlinks from moderate authority sites
- Page authority of 45
A competitor article could have:
- Simple content (1000 words, general)
- 100 backlinks from high-authority sites (New York Times, Harvard Business Review, etc.)
- Page authority of 65
The competitor page would likely rank better, despite worse content, because of higher PA.
Page Authority vs. Domain Authority
| Aspect | Page Authority | Domain Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Individual page / URL | Complete domain |
| Calculation | Backlinks to this specific page | All backlinks to the domain |
| Variability | Different for different pages | Consistent for all pages on domain |
| Impact on Rankings | Direct - this page ranks better | Indirect - every page gets a boost |
| Improvement | Backlinks to the page, internal links | Backlinks to any page, overall authority |
Often the best strategy is to focus on both: build domain authority (better domain = all pages rank better) AND focus on page authority for your top keywords (important pages get more links).
Improve Page Authority
To increase page authority:
- High-quality content: A page with great, original, authority-signaling content naturally attracts more links.
- Acquire backlinks: Build links to this page through guest posts, broken link building, PR, or direct outreach.
- Internal links: Links from other pages in your domain to this page strengthen it internally. If your homepage links to this page, it boosts PA.
- Prioritize link quality: One link from a PA 50 page is better than 10 links from PA 5 pages.
- Update content: An updated, improved version of a page can develop higher PA over time (more links accumulate).
- Featured snippets and social mentions: If your page wins a featured snippet, it gets more visibility and clicks, which indirectly boosts PA.
Page Authority Benchmarks
Typical PA ranges:
- PA 0-10: New pages, low authority, few backlinks
- PA 10-30: Established pages with some links, typically for new pages after 6 months
- PA 30-50: Well-optimized pages with moderate links, typical for popular blog posts
- PA 50+: High-quality, link-rich pages, typical for top pages or pages on high-authority domains
- PA 70+: Very dominant pages, mostly from major publishers or heavily-optimized evergreen content
For B2B, a blog article with PA 35-50 should rank for moderately competitive keywords. For highly competitive keywords you need PA 50+.
Page Authority vs. Google Rankings - Important Context
Important: page authority is a Moz metric and Google has never officially confirmed it as a ranking factor. Google has its own ranking system. However, in practice, page authority strongly correlates with Google rankings - pages with higher PA usually rank better.
This is why you should not optimize ONLY for PA. Optimize for:
- Content quality: Best content for the keyword
- User experience: Page loads fast, is mobile-optimized, has good UX
- Relevance: Page is relevant to the keyword and user intent
- Authority (PA): Page has backlinks and is perceived as authoritative by Google
Page authority is only part of the equation.
Page Authority Monitoring
To monitor PA:
- Use Moz open site explorer or SEMrush to track PA of your top pages.
- Check monthly whether PA of your target pages increases or decreases.
- Compare PA of your pages with competitors for the same keyword.
- If an important page has low PA (under 30), focus on link building for it.
- Use "link opportunities" tools to find potential sites that could link to you.
Practical Strategy
A practical page authority strategy for B2B:
- Identify your top 10 target keywords (highest business value).
- Write excellent content for each keyword (2000+ words, original, authority-signaling).
- Aggressively build links to these 10 pages.
- Monitor PA and rankings monthly.
- If PA stays below 30, double down on link-building efforts.
- Regularly update content to keep it current and better.
Page authority is a useful SEO metric to understand how well a page should rank. Combined with great content and user experience, higher PA is a path to better rankings and more organic traffic.